Kay Co., OK - Obits: Ella Sophia Anna Keen ***************************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb by: Lovena Norton USGenWeb Archives. Copyright. All rights reserved http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ***************************************************** January 1, 1998 Ella Sophia Anna Keen Ella Sophia Anna Keen, longtime Newkirk resident, died Saturday evening, December 27, 1997 in the Halstead Hospital, Halstead, Kansas. She was 90. One of 12 children of Wilhelm and Augusta (Tegtmeier) Backhaus, she was born April 6, 1907 near Lanham in Jefferson County, Nebraska. The family moved to the Newkirk area in 1909, and she attended OK and Pioneer Rural Schools. She spent many years as a farm wife in the Kildare area, and in 1951 she began working at the Rodeo meat packing plant in Arkansas City. She retired in 1969 and returned to Newkirk from Arkansas City the following year. Later she moved to Ponca City, living there for a short time before returning to Newkirk in 1977. She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church since childhood, and she enjoyed the flowers she grew in her yard and her family. Surviving her are two sons, Donald D. Keen and Thomas J. Keen, both of Newkirk; two daughters, Mrs. Bill (Marjory) Robinson of Newkirk and Mrs. Toby (Kathleen) Martin of Ponca City; 10 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great- grandchildren. She was preceded in death by an infant son and her eldest son, Virgil Lee Keen; her parents; five brothers, William, Louis, Henry, Fred and an infant brother; five sisters, Anna, Lena, Lizzie, Freda and Minnie; a half sister, Mary; and three grandsons. A graveside service was held at 2 pm Tuesday, December 30 in the Newkirk Cemetery with the Rev. Ernest Quillen, minister of St. John's Lutheran Church, Newkirk officiating. Miller-Stahl Funeral Service was in charge of arrangements. A memorial fund has been established with Hospice of Ponca City. Contributions may be made in Mrs. Keen's memory directly to Hospice of Ponca City, 1904 N. Union, Ponca City 74601 or through Eastman National Bank, Box 468, Newkirk 74647. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------